3/24/2016

Giving Thanks Again. And Again. And Again....

I often feel that I have so much for which to be thankful I barely know where to begin. And when I do begin, I feel I'm saying the same thing as I've said a hundred times before. I almost feel like God is worthy of thanksgiving that is SO much more glorious than the same-old same-old words I repeat.Does this ring true for you? Are you nodding and thinking, Yes! I feel like that too!I was so glad to read something this morning that encouraged me and delighted my soul at the same time, and so I wanted to tell y'all about it.We were reading 2 Samuel 22, where David's song of praise is recorded for us. In this wonderful song, David recognizes that he owes everything to God's wonderful mercy and His faithfulness. To Him is ALL the glory! He composes, by the Holy Spirit's leading, this outburst of praise and thanksgiving, but it's the note at the end of the chapter in RHB's Study Bible that really warmed my heart."David is careful to give the Lord the thanks and praise He deserves. Similarly, we should be conscious of, and sensitive to, all that God does for us in preserving, protecting, and providentially meeting our every need. Like David, we should lift our hearts and voices in praise and thanksgiving. Now, listen to this next bit:"God does not grow weary of the praise of His people, even when they are praising Him for the same things over and over again."Oh, that is so precious! Do you, like me, feel like today's thanksgivings are so like yesterday's were? So often I feel like a broken record, repeating my thanks for repeated blessings. But ...God does not grow weary of the praise of His people!The comment goes on:"That David's song in this chapter is virtually the same as Psalm 18 directs us never to forget the Lord's benefits to us and never to cease praising Him for them. It is quite acceptable to repeat; God is not looking for originality so much as He desires genuineness and sincerity."I found this so encouraging, and like all the wonderful encouragements of Scripture, it speaks more of who and what GOD is, rather than anything good in us. All His kindnesses to us speak of His goodness. His daily mercies to us speak of His faithfulness. And His delight in hearing our praises - even our poor, oft-repeated, poorly worded praises - speaks of His nature of love rather than anything lovely in our worship.And so I am encouraged to repeat my prayers of thankfulness. Yes, even the same faltering, repetitions, because HE delights to hear the voice of His child. Yet another reason for never-ending thankfulness.

5 comments:

I know! Isn't it amazing how many things we can 'know' in our heads, and then we hear or read that truth and it just goes PING in our hearts! What a God, never to tire of our poor, paltry praises.... He really is wonderfulAnne x